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Five Earths - Timeline (2014 January)
This is the timeline of the Five Earths, All in a Row setting, January 2014. (1942 on Earth-2, 1880 on Earth-3, 1557 on Earth-4, and 516 CE/1269 AUC on Earth-5) <-2013 December; 2014 February)-> 2014 January 1 On Earth-5, Ambrosius Aurelianus Romanorum appoints the new Consuls in Fa-Rome: Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo replace Drustanus and Esyllt. On Earth-1, the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis withdraw back to the poles, and fade. Many mystics and other sensitives are quite certain that something happened this night, but know not what. In some Orthodox Christian areas on Earth-1, Saint Basil leaves gifts for people, which is no-longer so unexpected. In Inp-Britain, the New Year Honours list is released. Among those mentioned is the late Sir Alan Turing, KBE, whose importance to the war effort in Earth-1's WWII was leaked to Earth-2 quite some time earlier. Jan. 2 On Earth-2, Alexei Luthor escapes from Hamilton Penitentiary, along with several other inmates. Gomez Addams and his new wife, Morticia, return from their long honeymoon on the island of Hibi-Jibi. On Earth-1, after many delays, the Boeing SE-3H Star Sentry Space Warning And Control System (SWACS) vehicle is finally authorized for deep space missions. In Inp-New Jersey, another 'Joker' appears, resembling the Heath Ledger version. Oddly, this one seems to have some of the memories of a previous 'Joker' (see November 18, 2013), offering his assistance to a rival gang to the one that killed his predecessor. Unfortunately, they accept. Jan. 4 In Dsp-USA, the All-Star Squadron is formed from the Justice Society of America, and local hero groups like the Minutemen in NYC, or the Seven Shadows in Chicago. A smaller task force of this team, called the Invaders, is planned to enter Occupied Europe ahead of other 'extraordinary irregulars', while much of the All-Star Squadron is intended to protect the homefront - exactly how much is a matter of great concern to military planners. In Inp-USA, a third season of the Young Justice cartoon begins on the CW, at 9am in each time zone. The first episode includes some focus on the inhibitor collars, in the hope that this will help DARPA perfect the version they've been working on. An entry flare (a particle spray consistent with something entering this dimension) is detected by Inp-Earth/Earth-1 particle sensors, on a vector suggesting it originated from Dsp-Earth/Earth-2. Seemingly random, intermittent bursts of infrared radiation are also detected, around this time. Jan. 6 The Nazi rocket (see Dec. 17, 2013, and Jan. 4, 2014) reaches optimum range. The vehicle disgorges several submunitions, which explode in a carefully timed sequence, creating a Kessler ablation cascade in the Inp-Earth/Earth-1 orbitals. While vehicles, satellites, and stations equipped with force shields are generally protected, unshielded satellites are by far the majority. All spacecraft within or passing through the debris cloud must maintain their shields more-or-less continuously, which is problematic for some designs, and make long-term orbit within the cloud generally impractical. Unnoticed due to holographic systems, radar stealth, and the use of the warp drive to dump heat (in tiny, boiling metal orbs) far from the vehicle itself, a Cytherean raider that followed the Nazi vehicle in releases several drop-pods, which soft-land in the countryside near Atlanta, in the Inp-US state of Georgia. The raider itself lands in the ocean off the coast, under cover of darkness; infrared anomalies (see Jan. 4) stop. On Earth-2, Gomez Addams joins the United States Rocketry Service. Jan. 7 By early morning (GMT), all surviving space stations within the Kessler cloud around Earth-1 have been moved into higher orbits. News services on Earth-1 estimate casualties in excess of 230 people from the previous day's attack, almost entirely civilians with unshielded or poorly shielded spacecraft. News services in Dsp-Germany greatly exaggerate the casualties. A Wolpertinger is caught on camera in the Black Forest, Inp-Germany, which is somewhat west of its traditional range in Bavaria. Tests of the recording suggest it to be genuine. On Earth-3, the Scandinavian Federation rocket field in Stp-Dutch Guiana launches a pair of interplanetary astronefs towards Earth-2, each heavier than earlier vessels, carrying personnel and equipment from all signatories of the Compact of Mainz. In The Times (Inp-London), an article appears about Haversham's Sovereign Cognitive Enhancer, which notes that it seems to be significantly less effective and reliable outside the Steampunk Earth/Earth-3 worldline (more specifically, the effects are rarely permanent, and the temporary effects are often somewhat weaker than expected). Jan. 9 After much negotiation, and a number of promises from the Dsp-German and Soviet ambassadors, the Provisional Government of the Dsp-Republic of China, feeling betrayed by Dsp-USA's support of Dsp-Japan since June 10th, officially joins the Axis powers, declaring war on the Allies. Many are surprised it took this long, a result of both difficulty coordinating all factions, and reluctance to get involved in an interplanetary war. On Earth-1, most governments have announced strategies for dealing with the new issues regarding satellite coverage, caused by the Kessler cloud. Several orbital garbage collection companies have been founded, and more are expected, but it will take quite some time, possibly years, to deal with the cloud. In Inp-Sydney, Australia, two men are admitted to hospital after being bitten by what appears to be a venomous wild sheep. In Inp-Los Angeles, California, USA, Elon Musk announces plans for a civilian manned Mars mission, in cooperation with NASA and the USSF's Space Exploration Command. When asked if he is concerned about the effects of the Kessler Cascade, he points out that the planned vehicles are already designed to be well-shielded. Jan. 11 On Earth-1, the Hall of Justice, official headquarters of the operational forces (id est, superhero teams) of the Justice League NGO, opens outside Inp-Washington, D. C., USA. On Earth-2, young Henry Pym is given an ant farm for his birthday. Dsp-Superman encounters Dr. George Grant, the first Metalo, a mad scientist in a suit of powered armour. The Last Son of Krypton is not impressed. On Earth-3, the Stp-British Parliament discusses eliminating the purchase of commissions in the Army, something that the Britains of the two elder Earths did in their respective 1871s. As yet, no conclusion is reached on the subject. Jan. 13 Operation Pencil Sharpener, a joint Wagner/Athena mission (to insert Inp-Israeli & Polish special forces into Occupied Poland, deliver an American SpecOps team to Dsp-USA, and bring doctors, scientists, engineers, & military advisors to the Seleneans) breaks orbit of Inp-Earth. OV-101 Enterprise (with a command/mission control module in her cargo bay) will serve as lead vessel of a Constellation including OV-104 Atlantis, an SC-5 Galaxy flight, one SB-52 flight and one SB-1 flight as escorts, and one SE-3H. British (two Victor*s, one Avro Vulcan*, one BAE Systems Nimrod SRM.5), Russian (upgraded Ptichka and Baikal), and EUSF vessels (one Airbus Starwhale (a Starfighter-upgraded Beluga variant), three Airbus A400S Astros, one SRM.5) are also present, along with three dedicated bomber-tenders: one Galaxy (USSF), one Antonov An-256 Sputnik (VKO), and one Airbus A380S (EUSF). Civilians, carried by three Boeing 747 spaceliners, include a USO troupe, Doctors Without Borders, and Engineers Without Borders, as well as embassy teams and a few embedded journalists, carried on the military vessels. * Overall command of the mission (Mission Commander, or MCOM) is held by Colonel Ethan Mallory, USSF, while command of the Enterprise herself (Flight Commander or FCOM) is given to Major April Roberts, USSF (who wishes the ex-Navy personnel would stop calling her 'Captain'). The trip will take around three weeks, each way, due to reaction mass limits. Spy satellites, some cloaked (through various means, mostly Star Trek (Klingon)-based), are to be deployed during the mission. * A news report on the mission mentions that the reason the impulse engines continue to glow when not accelerating, is that they are made to serve as supplementary radiators. Many long-range vessels also take in the trace amounts of dust and gas along their course, transfer heat into it, and emit it on opposite sides, or use it for minor course corrections. Jan. 15 In Dsp-Metropolis, the Superman meets girl reporter Lina Lewis, a former classmate of Messers Siegel and Shuster. He is amused by how similar she is to the fictional Lois Lane (and wonders which of the two, if not both, had a crush on her, that she made such an impression on them), and by the fact that she sought him out because of his recent interview (see Aug. 3; it took her a while to arrange things, and then she had to track him down), in which he commented on having never met a reporter like her. On Earth-1, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit begins astronaut training, much to the annoyance of many in the Army who were hoping to have a lock on Spaceborne troops. Jan. 18 On Earth-1/Infopunk Earth, the 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea' is officially dissolved, as Kim Jong Un is crowned 'Divine Emperor of the Holy Empire of Korea', with all due ceremony. The 'new' government publishes a map which shows the Empire's claimed borders. Unsurprisingly, it includes the territory of the Republic of Korea, as well as areas of disputed ownership, and some, like Okinawa and Kyushu (which Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, is said to be Princess of), that are rather difficult to justify. On Earth-2, George Grant (see Jan. 11, above) is drafted into the Army, his trial delayed until after the war. Warrant Officer Grant is assigned to the Cambridge Project, the development of mass production (or at least large-scale production) military power armour. Jan. 21 In Dsp-New York, circus strongman Rolf Müller is found guilty of, among other things, assault, disorderly behavior, and having homosexual relationships, and is remanded to the custody of Dr. Clark Savage, Jr.'s experimental Crime College. There, it is hoped that the regimen of exercise, education, medication, and brain surgery will be able to turn him into a straight and productive member of society. The fact that these medical procedures are court ordered over the prisoner's objections, rather than voluntary, is made note of, quite loudly, in the Earth-1 press. In Inp-Kitty Hawk, NC, a few of the winged kittens (see Dec. 17, 2013) take their first flights. Psi sensitives indicate they the kittens are mildly psychokinetic, but may have no powers beyond assisted flight. In Inp-Newark, NJ, a bombing spree kills about fifteen members of various gangs, and fifty-three innocent bystanders. The new Joker (see Jan. 2, 2014) is killed in a shootout with police. Jan. 23 In Dsp-Soviet Union, Natasha Romanova becomes the Black Widow. On Earth-1, the thoughtform of movie-Natasha informs Scarlett Johansson of this, and she immediately relays the information to the CIA. In Inp-Japan, JAXA officially announces the launch schedule for Project Yamato, a new class of 'Hazard Clearing Vessel' (enemy vehicles and installations can be very hazardous), with the Core Module being launched on February 3rd (the public had been aware for some time that something was going up then, but not what). Despite the rumours, Project Yamato does not involve turning a sunken battleship (and war grave) from WWII into a space battleship, though the project is named for that vessel. Jan. 24 In Inp-USA, the plans for the Yamato-class 'Hazard Clearing Vessel' are hand-delivered to DARPA by a Japanese courier. Analysis will determine that while the Yamato should have one hell of an impressive alpha strike, the main gun requires a significant cooling-and-charging cycle between firings (five minutes to charge and fire, ten minutes to cool before it can be charged again), was very expensive and difficult to build, and is likely to be troublesome to maintain. Department of Space formed in Dsp-USA, with Dr. Robert Goddard as its first Secretary. US Rocketry Service placed under the Space Department. Jan. 26 'Captain Kickstarter: Age of the Crowdfunded Superhero' published in Inp-USA. Also in Inp-USA, the 21st Airborne Division (see September 10, 2013) is set to begin astronaut training, and is redesignated 21st Spaceborne Division. In Inp-UK, No. 4 (Europe) Group, RAF Space Command, is officially activated, and assigned as Britain's component of the EUSF. On Earth-2, Dsp-Soviet invasion of Dsp-Alaska and Dsp-Canada begins. Some Earth-1 news services nickname this 'the Hoth Front,' not only for the cold, but for the Soviet's slightly bulkier version of the Überschwerer Kampfschreitpanzer (see July 10, 2013); this model is well suited to the cold, has larger weapons, and is better armoured, but is slower and less maneouverable. Jan 28 On Earth-1, the SA-10D Starbolt is officially introduced. Thanks to weight-saving measures], it is able to carry both better armour than a standard A-10, and stronger shielding and inertial dampening field systems than other upgraded jet fighters of that size, as well as somewhat better sensors. Jan. 31 The 'Operation Pencil Sharpener' constellation reaches the Dsp-Earth/Earth-2 universe. The spacecraft transition separately, and are thus able to make detailed recordings of multiple transitions, at close range and from both sides. Category:Timelines Category:Fanwork